By Patty Wilber
This last weekend was the second in the training show series for the New Mexico Buckskin Horse Association. We thought it would be smaller than the first one, and it was, but it was not that much smaller! Some of the adult ranch classes still had 25 entries! And the youth ranch classes had five or six, including the boxing! Plus, we have talented and friendly competitors, so it is fun! Our next show is May 6th and 7th with the Appaloosas, in Stanley, and then a Ranch Show June 25th, Bosque Farms. Come join us!
Faith took Romeo and she showed in halter, English, western and ranch classes! She has been fighting an ankle injury, too. She won halter and showmanship, and had nice horsemanship and English equitation patterns. We are getting there on trail, which Romeo likes, but Faith does not!
Me and Faith!
For her efforts, Faith won over all youth and walk-trot youth!
Heidi brought Lucy, who according to her dad, is Heidi’s new best friend. I do miss seeing Lucy’s cute face around here, but I do not have quite enough gas in the tank, yet, to ride more than about three horses a day, so Lucy is getting a lot more attention with Heidi, and I enjoy helping them work together!
Me and Heidi!
We did not get any great pics of their cutting or boxing runs, but Heidi made some good improvements and won both her classes. All her other ranch classes looked pretty darn nice. Heidi is helping Lucy move with her head higher and with more frame so that Lucy is driving from behind better and not dumping on her front end so much. We need to do some more work on reining, but between FFA, the weather, a trip I am taking to Arizona, and my up coming surgery, we will be trying to get her to Darren Miller!
For her efforts at the show, Heidi won high point ranch horse youth! I picked up her plaque, so she had not even seen it in person yet!
Not that I am totally extrinsically motivated or anything, but it is gratifying to see these girls improve and get rewarded for their efforts!
I only took Rip, who is owned by Whispering Spirit Ranch. I figured I needed less on my plate than last show when I took three horses, and he needed more warm up. I mean, he has only about 40 rides total, in his whole life, which is basically nothing.
Boy, has he improved since last month when he could not make it around the arena! This month he was able to compete in all the ranch classes except cattle (but we are close on that), and he won walk-trot ranch trail and placed third out of 18 (or 16 or 20–a lot) in open ranch trail! In ranch rail, he was very consistent with his gaits and was not bothered by horses coming up behind him or passing him. He was happy in a crowd! He also marked a 70 in ranch riding, which thrilled me!
Rip in the turn around box in trail. We really did not get good pictures of him, either!
Having such a trainable and talented horse to work with is sure fun! He is for sale in case anyone is looking, but I am having so much fun with him, I hope no one is looking.
Cancer update: Since I am done with chemo until after surgery, I am starting to rebound! No doctor appointments this week or next! Surgery the 23rd.
